That Neighbor You'll NEVER Plow Out / Snowblow Again !

[grsthegreat]

I live on a private drive around 1200 or so feet. There is 3 houses that share this drive. When i first moved in i was told that the one neighbor plows and we just give him like a hundred bucks around xmas time for his gas and what not.

Once winter hit the friendly neighbor let us know that he would be charging just enough for wear and tear and gas. Sounded fair until i added up the checks at spring time. I personally paid him just under 800. So the other neighbor paid the same and since we are splitting it 3 ways he also paid himself 800. 2400 bucks is not wear and tear or gas. But he claims he did not make any money.

Since we are kind of secluded and on our own up here i do not believe we should charge each other or make money off each other. I now have a kubota with a front mount snowblower. It put a big smile on my face when i told the neighbor last fall that i will take over clearing the drive and i dont want any money for doing so.

The third neighbor does call to say thank you. And they gave my wife and I a restaurant gift card which was very nice of them. But the neighbor who used to plow has not said a word. Gotta love shared drives.........

cool...i bet the guy that used to plow is pissed hehe

thats alot of $$$$ for 1200 feet. how many times did he plow that season?

here we pay 200/plowing for 2.5 miles of road. there are 34 people paying into the pot, so thats like $6 each person per plow. Im taking over plowing next year....but for 200/plow. im not going to do it for free, no mater how much i love my neighbors hehe

 

[stratton]

yeah i am sure he was upset that he couldnt "break even" this year. But I really dont think he minds to much. He didnt really have the right setup for plowing. The snowbanks can build up pretty high with the limited places to put them. And i am sure it was a matter of time before something major broke. The kubota makes quick work of the snow with out any snow banks.
I woudnt have a problem with charging people in your case. But with just three houses here and no other real neighbors i feel like we should all help each other out. Now if i was retired or had the time i would venture down the road to make some money like in your case.

 

[Carl Bert]

Interesting topic. I help a neighbor out with some lawn care, like aerating and dethatching once or twice a season. This year he asked me if I could remove the piles of plowed snow in his driveway with my loader. I did so, took about 3 hours and he thanked me. I don't do it expecting money and wouldn't take it if it were offered. He's my neighbor, and I also do it for the simple pleasure of SEAT TIME.

The problem I had was this. His wife is a chiropractor, with her office in the house. This year I had a pinched nerve in my neck. I asked her about it and she said no problem, come over and I will take care of it. Turned out all I needed was heat and ice. But before determining that, she had me come for three office visits, which did no help, and she not only charged my insurance, but also made me pay a $30 copay each time.

Am I being petty? I was fine with her billing the insurance company, after all thats what I have it for. But I thought the $90 in copays were excessive. Is her time more valuable then mine?

I would really like to hear what some of you think. Be honest.

 

[grsthegreat]

Interesting topic. I help a neighbor out with some lawn care, like aerating and dethatching once or twice a season. This year he asked me if I could remove the piles of plowed snow in his driveway with my loader. I did so, took about 3 hours and he thanked me. I don't do it expecting money and wouldn't take it if it were offered. He's my neighbor, and I also do it for the simple pleasure of SEAT TIME.

The problem I had was this. His wife is a chiropractor, with her office in the house. This year I had a pinched nerve in my neck. I asked her about it and she said no problem, come over and I will take care of it. Turned out all I needed was heat and ice. But before determining that, she had me come for three office visits, which did no help, and she not only charged my insurance, but also made me pay a $30 copay each time.

Am I being petty? I was fine with her billing the insurance company, after all thats what I have it for. But I thought the $90 in copays were excessive. Is her time more valuable then mine?

I would really like to hear what some of you think. Be honest.

you know......i think that your NOT being petty. your doing something to be neighborly and its not being returned. id be pissed also.

I've loaned tools to most of my neighbors over the years, and the ONE time i needed to borrow a lawn mower, as mine was in the shop, my nice neighbor had the nerve to say "I'm not comfortable loaning out MY tools". mine you hes borrowed many of mine in the past (but no longer). were still friends, but no tool loaning again for me.

hay..maybe I'm being petty
who knows

 

[DarrylH20]

you know......i think that your NOT being petty. your doing something to be neighborly and its not being returned. id be pissed also.

I've loaned tools to most of my neighbors over the years, and the ONE time i needed to borrow a lawn mower, as mine was in the shop, my nice neighbor had the nerve to say "I'm not comfortable loaning out MY tools". mine you hes borrowed many of mine in the past (but no longer). were still friends, but no tool loaning again for me.

hay..maybe I'm being petty
who knows

I don't think you guys are being petty at all. When I do a favor for some of my buddy's they are all ways there to return the favor if I need anything. I wouldn't do nothing for them again.

 

[crusty 1]

I wouln,t feel pi$$ed more let down.Whats this world coming to?Dave

 

[boxygen]

I was talking with an aquaintance one time at a party and he was talking about plowing and what he did when a customer did not pay. He said that one guy he didnt get along with, he packed the snow so hard up against the back of his car, the back wheels were off the ground. Another time, spring came around and a paying customer flat out refused to pay a cent. He had a buddy of his deliver a dumptruck load of clay in his driveway :laughing::laughing::laughing: I had to laugh and I wish I didnt get so much satisfacation from seeing people get what they deserve. All I can say is that Im glad I live in a good community where everyone appreciates each other.

 

[etcallhome]

I do 8 driveways sometimes every day. Do the church parking lot 2 maybe 4 times a wk, have never asked for any money .. Last winter I bought over 80 gals of diesel fuel and didn't pay for any of the fuel.. Neighbor and friends give money through out the winter , gift certificates ,candy , 3-5 # of home butchered steak ,hamburg..
This winter had problem with fan on transmission.. Neighbors heard I was broke down..I paid about $85 for parts the other 100 came from them..
I always looked at it this way ,,If I see someone, I normally don't do there drive, is out trying to shovel his drive or we get 12" + of snow I'll do there drive... I have always gotten a THANK YOU That is my pay !!
Several years ago FIL asked me if I could take my tractor 1/2 mile away and mow one of the church members lawn. At that time he was appx 83 yrs of age going through cancer treatment..I mowed his yard every week the whole summer.Never expected anymore than a thank you ,at Christmas he gave me a $ 20 or 30 . Since that time just about every summer I mow and trim at least 1/2 of the time sometimes the complete summer. I think this past summer before he passed away at age 91 he gave me $60. He told me that paid for some of the diesel fuel I told him no I didn't want it he already paid the bill ,,,He was a WWII veteran , about 2 wks before he died he and others from the VFW did a funeral.. I'm guessing the only time he missed a funeral in the last 20-30yrs was when he was in the hospital or home trying to recover from his cancer treatments..
BILL PAID IN FULL THANKS MR HEATER and other veterans including my father WWII 2nd Ranger !!!
Sorry for getting a little off subject !

 

[Diamondpilot]

Hilarious??

I'm glad I don't have any mean friends like that.

Not returning to plow again is one thing, but being spiteful is another. IMO.

But each to their own.

I have never had anyone not pay me. Sometimes it takes a couple weeks but they always get to it. They will call me and say they can bring over the money but I just tell the to catch me next time. I always leave with a joke that if they dont pay me I will bury the cars in. They laugh and give me a weird look but I am serious.

Chris

 

[hawkeye08]

yes, several, nuf said.